the
Justice www.thejustice.org
The Independent Student Newspaper Volume LXXV, Number 6
of
B r a n d e is U n i v e r sit y S i n c e 1 9 4 9
Tuesday, November 1, 2022
By RANI BALAKRISHNA
JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Two weeks ago, the School of Arts and Sciences published several new initiatives prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the Brandeis faculty. These initiatives prioritize retaining faculty of color, increasing diversity within the Brandeis faculty, developing an equity liaison role in departments, adding endowed chairs, and establishing programs to support and mentor faculty. Dorothy Hodgson, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, noted that although work is still ongoing to increase the number of faculty of color, the School of Arts and Sciences has doubled the number of faculty of color in the past five years. The School of Arts and Sciences and the Office for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion worked with the Sociology Department to pilot a two-year faculty position of equity liaison, held by Prof. Sarah Mayorga (SOC). This equity liaison is expected to be expanded to other departments. Currently, Mayorga implements anti-racist values into the curriculum, “brings BIPOC sociologists to campus,” and “[assesses] their classroom culture,” according to an article published by the School of Arts and Sciences on Oct. 14. Mayorga said that she has been very grateful for the support from the University for this innovative pilot program, as it has been successful thus far. Hodgson noted that this pilot program will hopefully be expanded to other de-
partments as well. The School of Arts and Sciences also now requires reports on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and faculty can “address ‘invisible labor’” in reports, “highlighting important work that used to go unrecognized,” according to the same article. Faculty of color often support and advise students outside of the classroom, so this space now allows them to be recognized. The aforementioned article talked about academic programs at the University that have changed curricula to “provide a more holistic, less Eurocentric approach to their field,” such as the Art History department. The program “expanded geographical and temporal boundaries” to have less of a traditional emphasis on European material and “move toward a more global approach.” The Fine Arts department is also searching for an expert in Latin American, Latin X, and/or Afro-Latin art this year. Endowed chairs allow the faculty to be recognized and awarded for their achievements and retain faculty while investing in the department. Over the summer, Marta Kauffman ’78, the co-creator of the TV show “Friends,” pledged $4 million to create an endowed chair in African and AfricanAmerican Studies. The African American and African Studies department, despite being established in 1969 in response to the protests at Ford Hall, has not previously had an endowed chair, and the President’s Office will be releasing the recipient of the position shortly. Additionally, in 2020, “the School [of Arts and Sciences] established its first minor in Asian American and Pacific Islander Studies
See ANTIRACISM, 5 ☛
Waltham, Mass.
DINING HALL PROTEST
Antiracism initiatives in School of Arts and Sciences ■ The School of Arts and Sciences recently rolled out several new initiatives to retain faculty of color and increase faculty diversity.
Waltham, Mass.
ANNA MARTIN/the Justice
DEMONSTRATION: Students and dining workers joined together for the second time to protest working conditions.
University admin. present at protest held in support of dining workers ■ Students and dining staff gathered to protest a variety of concerns; Harvest Table management and University admin stood nearby.
By ARIELLA WEISS, ANNA MARTIN, AND NATALIE SALTZMAN
JUSTICE EDITOR, STAFF WRITER, AND CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Brandeis Leftist Union members led a call-and-response chant: “What do we want? Respect for workers!
When do we want it? Now!” On Oct. 28, students and dining workers gathered in Upper Usdan for the second time this year to protest “in response to consistent disrespect and mistreatment from Harvest Table,” as stated by the BLU. Students and dining workers marched down to the Harvest Table offices in Lower Usdan, chanting and holding signs. The demonstration started much like the BLU-organized march on Usdan on Sept. 22, when Brandeis police were called on the petitioners. “Our requests are very simple,”
said dining worker Lucia Hsiung said on Oct. 28, who was addressing the students eating in Lower Usdan. “We only want the company’s respect to us.” As the demonstrators arrived at the Harvest Table offices, they discovered that Clayton Hargrove, director of Hospitality, like last time, was not there. Lois Stanley, vice president of Campus Operations, was present along with Stew Uretsky, vice president of Finance and Administration, and two representatives from Student Affairs. This was a marked differ-
See DINING, 5 ☛
Carol Anderson presents her work on voter suppression ■ Anderson was awarded the Gittler Prize and spoke to students about her research and books at a variety of events. By AMANDA CHEN
JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
On Oct. 26, Provost Carol A. Fierke presented Dr. Carol Anderson the Joseph B. and Toby Gittler Prize. Anderson, the Charles Howard Candler professor of African American Studies at Emory University, was in residence at Brandeis from Oct. 24-26 to share her work. She has written numerous books, including: “One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression is Destroying our Democracy”; “White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of our Racial Divide”; and “The Second: Race and Guns in a Fatally Unequal America.” Anderson was elected into the Society of American Historians as well as the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Anderson was also named a W.E.B. Du Bois fellow of the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences.
Professor Joseph B. Gittler created the Joseph B. and Toby Gittler Prize in 2007 “to recognize outstanding and lasting scholarly contributions to racial, ethnic and/or religious relations,” according to the University’s website on the prize. The award consists of a cash prize of $25,000 and a medal. On Oct. 24, there was a screening of the documentary “I, Too,” a film that showcases the life and work of Anderson in a racially divided United States. Director of the Women's Studies Research Center Harleen Singh and Director of the non-profit organization Humanity in Action Judith Goldstein introduced Anderson and the film. Anderson’s work investigates social, political, and economic structures that reproduce discrimination against Black people. She emphasizes the parallels between current events, like the Black Lives Matter movement and the Jan. 6 Insurrection, and the historical record of America’s treatment of Black people. Moreover, the film explored many historical events like the Wilmington coup of 1898 in North Carolina, the Hamburg Massacre in South Carolina, and the Ocoee Massacre in Florida. After the film, there was a discussion between Anderson and Laurie Nsiah-Jefferson, direc-
See GITTLER PRIZE, 5 ☛
Indigenous empowerment
Halloween movies
Brandeis hosts Family Weekend
“We’re not just talking about what happened ... we’re talking about what’s happening."
Here are some iconic Halloween movies that won't give you nightmares, so all can participate in this staple Halloween celebration.
The problems with parasocial relationships
By HEDY YANG
By CRAIG DISKIN Photo courtesy of BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY
tor of the Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy at University of Massachusetts, Boston. Brandeis Women's Studies Research Center Resident Scholar K. Melchor Quick Hall moderated the discussion. On Oct. 25, Anderson visited the joint class meeting of "Introduction to African and African American Studies," taught by Prof. Chad Williams (AAAS/HIST), and "Civil Liberties in America," taught by Prof. Jeffrey Lenowitz (POL). Later in the day, Anderson met with the class "Power and Violence," taught by Prof. Elizabeth Ferry (ANTH). On the same day, there was a discussion on Anderson’s book, “One Person, No Vote: How Voter Suppression is Destroying our Democracy.” Profs. Zachary Albert (POL) and Jill Greenlee (POL) gave the opening remarks. Both thanked David Weinstein, the assistant director of the Educational Network for Active Civic Transformation and Communications and Academic Administrator Rosanne Colocouris for organizing the event. Mandy Feuerman ’25 and Maia Lefferman ’25 managed the VoteDeis Campus Coalition table at the event. Anderson examined
FEATURES 6
Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS
For tips or info email editor@thejustice.org
ARTS AND CULTURE 14
Make your voice heard! Submit letters to the editor to forum@thejustice.org
By ANNA MARTIN
NEWS 3
FORUM 9 Controversy strikes Patriots’ quarterback room By ZACHARY GOLDSTEIN SPORTS 12 By TIBRIA BROWN
COPYRIGHT 2022 FREE AT BRANDEIS.